


to make the world a brighter place

by robinyourcreator



Series: soften every edge [1]
Category: Moonlight Garden (Webcomic)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Everyone Lives/Nobody Dies, Childhood Trauma, Everybody Lives, F/F, Gen, Time Travel Fix-It
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2021-02-25
Updated: 2021-03-07
Packaged: 2021-03-16 07:55:46
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 4
Words: 8,204
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29697429
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/robinyourcreator/pseuds/robinyourcreator
Summary: A strange, one armed woman is going around kidnapping enslaved orphans, befriending flower maidens in hiding, and helping a certain apothecary create an antidote, foiling all of a certain villain's plans from the start.
Series: soften every edge [1]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/2182437
Comments: 9
Kudos: 4





	1. Chapter 1

Suh Yoosun was _(approximately)_ thirteen years old. She didn’t really know how old she was, but Lady Hyewon was thirteen, and Yoosun had been meant to be her substitute, so she was probably thirteen, too.

She had _just_ started to get the hang of her becoming-Hyewon lessons, too, had finally started doing good enough that Aunt didn’t need to take the switch to her every day anymore. 

But she wasn’t with Aunt and Lady Hyewon anymore; she was with strangers again, and she would have to _start all over_ with learning what would get her praised and what would get her punished. 

The nice _unnie_ with one arm had said no one was going to hit her anymore, but Yoosun wasn’t sure she believed her. When Aunt had taken her in, she’d made it seem like she wasn’t going to hit her, either. 

She’d started with _yakgwa,_ not the switch. 

And the nice _unnie_ had done just the same, offering her water and cookies and rubbing her back until she’d calmed down enough to speak after the terror of waking up in an unfamiliar place.

“Did I mess up too much? Did Aunt sell me to you because I made too many mistakes?” 

“No,” _unnie_ had said, but she looked so _sad,_ so disappointed, so that couldn’t be true either. “You didn’t do anything wrong, Yoosun.”

She ruffled Yoosun’s hair. “And I didn’t _buy_ you from that awful woman, either. I took you back, Yoosun. Because you’re my family. I’m your big sister, see the resemblance?” 

She _did_ look a lot like her. Just older. _Much_ older. Forever older. But maybe not as old as Aunt. It was kind of hard to tell how old adults were, and ladies especially got angry with her when she got it wrong.

_Unnie_ grinned, raising her _one_ hand and wiggling her fingers. “I’m even left-handed like you are.” 

Her right sleeve was very obviously empty. 

“What happened to your other hand?” Yoosun asked before she could stop herself. 

“Please forgive me for my impertinence, my lady!” she exclaimed immediately, clapping her hands over her mouth in horror and bowing her head. 

“Yoosun,” _unnie_ said quietly, tugging her to her chest in a hug. “I’m your sister. You can say whatever you want to me. You haven’t done anything wrong. And even if you had, I will never, _ever_ hit you or send you away for it. I promise.” 

Yoosun sniffled. “If you say so, _unnie._ ” 

“As for what happened to my arm, well… Once, a very cruel and wicked witch raised a sword against a woman I loved very much. I knew it would hurt far more to see her suffer than to take the blow myself… so I did. I should have paid for that with my life, but fortunately I just had to pay with my arm instead.” 

_Unnie_ ruffled Yoosun’s hair again, her expression soft, almost _fond,_ though she had no reason to be. She didn’t know her yet, didn’t know how much of a disappointment Yoosun was bound to be as a little sister. 

“Yoosun, I would do the same for you. You’re worth that and so much more. If you don’t believe anything else I have to say, believe that.”

Yoosun nodded dubiously. She didn’t really believe that, but it would be very rude to say that out loud. And she had been working _very hard_ to learn to not be rude since Aunt had taken her in. 

“...If we’re sisters, what’s your name?” Yoosun flinched, immediately backpedaling. “Not that I’m ungrateful or th-that I don’t believe you! I just don’t know my own--I mean--” 

Her face flushed and she ducked her head in embarrassment. “I don’t even know our family name.” 

_Unnie_ smiled. “It’s Hyeong.” She pointed her thumb at herself. “Hyeong Misun.”

And then Misun patted Yoosun’s head again, brushing Yoosun’s hair out of her face. “And Hyeong Yoosun.” 

_“Hyeong Yoosun,”_ Yoosun repeated reverently. She gripped at her sleeves, suddenly nervous, fidgeting and ducking her head. “And… Misun-unnie?” 

“That’s right,” Misun praised, beaming and ruffling her hair again.

Yoosun clung to her sleeves tighter, not reassured by the praise at all. Aunt had started off with praise, too. And what would happen to Hyewon now, if she was gone? Would Aunt come look for her? And if she did, did Yoosun even _want_ to go back to her?

“If-- if you’re my sister, how come I don’t know you? I’ve not-- I’ve never had-- I never even thought I had _anyone_. H-how did you find me? And how come-- how come you’re here _now,_ Misun-unnie?” she stammered, pulling her knees to her chest. 

She was being-- she was being _so rude,_ and speaking out of turn, and worse, _accusing_ this person who had only been kind to her so far but, but, but--

She had to know. She had to. If Misun was lying, or had a use for her she wasn’t saying… She wanted to know. She _had_ to know so she wouldn’t disappoint her, too.

Misun’s face fell. “I’m sorry I couldn’t be there for you before. I only just found out about you, too. Yoosun, look here,” she shrugged her outermost layers off, and took Yoosun’s hand in hers, guiding it to the brand below her shoulder blade. 

“I was the same age as you when I was given _this._ I think you know what this is, because you have one too, don’t you.” 

Yoosun nodded, her face carefully blank as she felt the same scar on her sister’s back that she herself had. It was even the same shape, in the same place.

“I didn’t come for you before because I _couldn’t_ come for you before. I came as soon as I could. I’m sorry it wasn’t sooner.” 

Yoosun simply nodded again, finally pulling her hand away and letting Misun shrug her clothes back on. 

“What happens now, then?” 

“If you think you can handle a few more surprises today, there are some people I’d like you to meet. One of them is close to your age, and someone I hope will become a good friend to you in time. Would you like to come with me to meet them?” 

"Okay." Hiding in here wouldn't help her situation here, wouldn't give her any more of a clue as to what Misun wanted from her, but meeting these new people just might.

And she had spent more than enough time hiding and keeping out of sight already, for fear of being mistaken as Hyewon's twin. 

No, it was more important to her to know what was going on.

Misun beamed at her again, offering her hand to help her out of the bed.

"What you're wearing now is fine. I'll be sure to get you more clothes the next time I go back into town." 

Yoosun so rarely saw other people that it hadn't even occurred to her that her clothes were something she might need to be nervous about. She wished Misun hadn't brought it up at all. 

Worrying her lip between her teeth, she took Misun's hand anyway. 

"Do you need me to open the door, Unnie?" Yoosun asked, her brow creasing with even more worry when Misun froze.

"...I might. It's been a year already since I lost the other one, and still sometimes I forget. I suppose I'm just not used to spending my time holding hands with adorable young ladies." 

"I'm not a young lady." 

"But you _are_ my adorable little sister." 

"Okay," Yoosun said flatly, if only to end the conversation. 

She _did_ look just like Hyewon, which _did_ make her _as pretty as a Flower Maiden._ But it never felt like it was really her face. 

It was Hyewon's face. She just happened to be borrowing it while Hyewon was still alive. 

Yoosun glanced back up at Misun, trying to get a read on her once more, but she was just smiling sunnily down at her. That simply couldn't be all there was to her.

No one smiled forever. And certainly no one smiled at _Yoosun_ for very long. 

No, Misun-unnie had to have some sort of ulterior motive she needed Yoosun for, and with how kind to her she was being now, Yoosun was _terrified_ to find out what it could be. 

"Take as long as you need. You can open the door whenever you're ready," Misun encouraged. 

Deciding to tear off the metaphorical bandage before her nerves got the better of her, Yoosun screwed her eyes shut and threw the door open as fast as she could, flinching when it slammed. And then, eyes still squeezed tightly shut, she let Misun gently guide her out into the light as it burned through her eyelids. 

"YUNWOO-UNNIE!" a small voice shouted. A child's voice. 

Yoosun opened her eyes just in time to see a small… boy? 

_He yelled Unnie, but he's a boy, isn't he? He is dressed in a boy's clothes…_

"YOU DIDN'T TELL ME SHE WAS SO PRETTY!" the little boy shouted, running at a tall and very well dressed brown-haired woman who was holding the boy at arm's length and laughing as he windmilled his arms to try and hit her.

If Yoosun had to guess, she'd say the woman wàs a bit younger than Misun-unnie, but she wouldn't dare risk saying so. 

"IF I'D KNOWN SHE WAS SO PRETTY I WOULDN'T HAVE DRESSED UP AS A BOY TODAY!" The boy yelled again, _still_ trying fruitlessly to strike beyond his reach while the well-dressed woman held him back by his forehead.

This was the one Misun wanted her to be friends with? This loud, violent boy or… possibly not a boy?

"Sekyung, not so loud please," another woman chided. "I know you're excited, but you have to be gentle and courteous to others if you want them to be your friends, remember?"

She looked… older than Misun-unnie, and very much like "Sekyung," too. Their mother, maybe? She looked very motherly, kneeling down to look them in the face, laying her hand on their shoulder as she lectured them.

"But it's _Yunwoo-unnie_ ," Sekyung whined.

"Your mother is absolutely right, Sekyung. You should absolutely treat me more kindly and courteously. I'm a fragile and delicate creature you know, what with my condition," Yunwoo said dramatically, laying her hand over her heart as if she were wounded.

Misun-unnie snorted at that. "Is that what you tell all the women you try to court as well?" 

"I would never kiss and tell," Yunwoo replied with a wink.

"She looks more like a princess than _you_ do," Sekyung grumbled, giving up on their attempts to hit Yunwoo in favor of sulking. "I bet she acts more like one, too."

Yunwoo ruffled Sekyung's hair. "I'm sure she does, but shouldn't you at least allow her to introduce herself before passing such horrible judgements on her?" 

Sekyung flushed, ducking their head, and then ran up to Yoosun, bowing deeply. 

"Um! I'm sorry for being so loud! My name is Lee Sekyung! I hope we can become good friends!" they shouted nervously. 

Yoosun blinked, glancing between Misun-unnie and the still bowing Sekyung, wordlessly asking for direction. 

Misun let go of her hand in favor of gently prodding her back, nudging her forward as if to say _'go ahead.'_

"I'm… Yoosun," she said quietly, trying to match Sekyung's bow. "...Hyeong Yoosun?" she added hesitantly, still unsure of how the new name felt in her mouth, on her ears. 

Sekyung's head bounced up, and they seized Yoosun's hands in theirs. 

"I'm so happy to meet you! I never get to play with other girls." 

"So you are...a girl, then?" Yoosun said awkwardly, inwardly kicking herself as soon as she said it. 

_Rude! Stupid! Stupid, stupid, stupid! They'll hit you, they'll hate you, they'll never look kindly on you now--_

Sekyung just squeezed her hands in hers, bouncing between her toes and her heels. "Mhm! I just have to dress as a boy sometimes. For important safety reasons." 

Misun knelt down to be at Sekyung's level, putting her hand on Yoosun's shoulder and giving it a reassuring squeeze. 

"Yoosun comes from a similar situation to yours, Sekyung. I'm sure she understands," she said warmly. 

"You're so pretty, Yoosun-unnie!" Sekyung lowered her voice conspiratorially, leaning up on her tip-toes to whisper in Yoosun's ear.

_"Are you a Flower Maiden too?"_

Yoosun's blood turned to ice, her head twisting around to look up at Misun in a panic, her hands shaking. 

Hyewon would have thrashed anyone who dared say that to her. She _had_ thrashed girls for saying it before. And Yoosun was supposed to be like Hyewon, but she didn't want to hit Sekyung, who was being so nice to her--

_"Breathe, Yoosun,"_ a soft voice murmured in her ear, a strong arm wrapping protectively around her shoulders. 

"You don't have to try to be Suh Hyewon or keep her secrets for her anymore. It's okay."

Yoosun blinked back tears, her head snapping up to try and look her sister in the eye, and failing due to the poor angle.

"What secrets? How do you know them? What do you think you know about Lady Hyewon?" Yoosun demanded.

_No one_ was supposed to know about that, that was a secret people _died for_ \-- that Aunt had killed people for in front of her and made her watch-- 

"I had to learn a lot of things to find you, little one," Misun assured her, tugging her around to face her, her hand on Yoosun's shoulder, smiling as sunnily as she had been since Yoosun woke up. 

"That's not an answer," Yoosun said quietly. 

"Not really, no," Misun agreed without batting an eye. "But it's the only one I can give you right now. And more importantly," Misun said, reaching over Yoosun's shoulder to--ah. 

Yoosun turned around, following Misun's hand. 

Oh. 

She'd nearly forgotten Sekyung was there, the reason she was terrified in the first place.

"There, there," Misun soothed, wiping away Sekyung's tears. "You didn't do anything wrong, Sekyung. You just scared her a little." 

"D-do y-you h-hate m-me n-now?" Sekyung sniffled, hiccuping and stumbling over her words. 

"No," Yoosun said, honestly baffled by the entire situation. She hadn't hit her; why was _Sekyung_ crying?

"I-I-I'm s-sorry. I d-didn't m-mean to m-make y-you s-sad. I j-just th-thought y-you m-might b-be like--like m-me, that's all."

"Yoosun is a bit like you, you're right. She's had to hide for a very long time. But it wasn't because she's a Flower Maiden," Misun explained, patting Sekyung on the head.

"Think of my little sister as something like a wild rabbit for now, okay Sekyung? I know you mean well, but Yoosun has had to be so worried about hawks and foxes hunting her for so long that even someone as small and cute as you looks like a wolf to her right now." 

"But," Misun paused, pulling back and taking Yoosun's hand in hers, guiding it to the space between her and Sekyung. 

And Sekyung, as if following some unspoken prompting, seized Yoosun's hand in both of hers without the slightest bit of hesitation. 

"If you're very kind, and very patient with her for a little while, I know that someday you will be the very best of friends." 


	2. Chapter 2

Princess Ha Yunwoo knew what was expected of her in life. As the youngest child of a dying king, as an eighteen year old and thus not yet of age, as the most sickly of her siblings with the plague that cursed her family-- she was very well aware of what was expected of her: not much. 

_ That  _ was an expectation she was more than happy to let others believe she met.

She was expected to live a quiet life of luxury in isolation, pushing no boundaries and making no waves, then die an early death to the disease in her blood without bringing shame to her family. 

But those expectations? Not so much. 

She spent as many of her days dodging her tutors as she could, taking little freedoms as they came, fully determined to be the most slovenly, outrageous, and shameful miscreant in her family’s history if given half the chance. 

When one day, wandering the market after finally having slipped away from her guards and the walls of her family’s compound, she met the apothecary Min Nayoung and her young “son?”

Yunwoo knew she had found that chance. 

And when, months later, she found a strange, smiling, one armed woman sitting in one of her favorite hiding places on the family estate?

Something gave her the feeling that she had been just given another. 

***

“Just so we’re clear before we get into this:  _ are  _ you here to murder or threaten to murder me?” Yunwoo said casually, glancing at the door. This wing was mostly deserted, but if she made enough noise someone would come to see, and the more witnesses the better in this kind of situation.

_ If _ it was that kind of situation. If it really was an assassination or kidnapping attempt, it was either very sloppy, brazen or both. 

“I am not,” the woman replied, her sunny smile unchanging. She offered no further explanation. 

“Okay then,” Yunwoo replied, closing the door behind her. 

A one armed assassin or kidnapper would probably be at more of a disadvantage than someone who  _ wasn’t _ , so Yunwoo was very slightly inclined to take the strange woman at her word. 

...But then again, Yunwoo herself was supposed to be a weak, sickly invalid too unwell even to receive visitors or participate in court. If the one armed woman was any good at all, her backers probably wouldn’t have thought she  _ needed  _ the other arm to incapacitate her. 

“So,” Yunwoo said casually, taking a seat across from the stranger a little out of arm’s reach. Just the slightest precaution, just in case. “How did you get in here, if I may ask?”

The woman shrugged. “If  _ you  _ can dodge the guards here, it stands to reason that any reasonably competent spy could as well.” 

Fair point.

“So you’re a spy then?” 

Yunwoo didn’t have many secrets to keep beyond her own-- one of the many benefits of her supposed poor health exempting her from participating in the games of the court. 

But it could be no coincidence that so soon after her biggest secret, the apothecary and her family, received a letter from Suh Yiryung, that a woman who could be her twin (if she were ten years older, maybe) appeared before her.

“I was,” the stranger replied, her sunny smile still firmly in place.

“Hmm. Did you leave your honorable profession before or after you lost the arm?” Yunwoo hummed, bidding for time.  _ If  _ the woman was from the Suh family, she would need to tread carefully. It wouldn’t just be her own life on the line, if that was the case.

_ If.  _ Again with the  _ if’s.  _

The woman chuckled. “It’s funny,  _ everyone  _ asks about the arm, in some way or another. Perhaps I should start my introductions with that from now on.” 

“So, for politeness’ sake then, why don’t you give me your name and the story about the arm while you’re at it? I’m assuming since you’re here, you already know a great deal more about me then I’m going to learn about you.”

“Very well, then. My name is Suh Yoosun.” 

_ Called it.  _

“And you’re… _not_ here to threaten me?” Yunwoo hedged. 

“No,” Yoosun replied, tired and faintly amused. “Because the abridged story of how I lost my arm is that it was to save the life of Lee Sekyung.” 

“...Lee Sekyung,” Yunwoo said dubiously.

“Yes.”

“...The apothecary’s nine year old child, Lee Sekyung?”

“She wasn’t nine years old at the time.” 

_ 'She.' Yoosun called Sekyung 'she,' so she knows her secret somehow. _

“I suppose that makes sense, since you’d be dead either way if you didn’t save that child,” Yunwoo said carefully.

Yoosun smiled ruefully, her hand seemingly unconsciously going to her shoulder stub. “Yes, though admittedly that consideration didn’t cross my mind at the time.”

“And when exactly did this happen?” Yunwoo asked, her voice strained.

If this had taken place _recently,_ it would have made some sense-- but Yoosun had just said Sekyung hadn’t been nine years old at the time-- not to mention such an injury would take weeks, if not _months_ to recover from, if it had truly cost Yoosun her arm. And Yunwoo had just gone to see the Lee family _yesterday._

Something didn’t add up, and yet Yunwoo still didn’t think Yoosun was lying.

Yoosun hummed. “A little over ten years from now, I believe.”

_ “...Pardon?” _ Yunwoo boggled. 

_ She isn’t lying. How is she not lying?  _

Yoosun smiled sadly. “It seems that receiving forgiveness for my many sins was not enough, as it has seemingly been decided that I must also ensure that those sins never come to pass at all to atone.” 

“...You mean to tell me you received some kind of punishment from the heavens, and that punishment is…”

“Being sent back here, eleven years in my past,” Yoosun said simply, matter-of-factly, as if she were saying "the sky is blue," or "grass is green _." Not_ _that she was a damn time traveler._

Yunwoo frowned. “Not that this isn’t the most interesting thing that’s likely going to happen to me this week, but, why are you telling  _ me  _ this? I’m just the spoiled, sickly youngest child of a puppet king, you know.” 

“Because while you aren’t nearly as clever as you think you are, you’re  _ just  _ clever enough to make yourself obnoxious if I didn’t tell you. This was simply the easiest way.” 

“...Thank you?”

Yoosun huffed out a laugh, soft and rueful. “I’m not overly concerned with you believing me or not, Ha Yunwoo. I will find a way to protect the people I must with or without your help. But your help would make my work significantly easier, and would provide no small benefit to you as well in the process. For the most part, our goals align.” 

“...And those goals would be?” Yunwoo said weakly. This was over her head. It was so, so,  _ so  _ far over her head.

And yet.  _ And yet. _

“The successful development of an antidote for the Flower Poison, the safety of Lee Sekyung and her family, and…” Yoosun paused, a distant look in her eyes. 

“The safety and freedom of a child slave recently purchased and adopted by the Suh family,” she added softly.

“...Does this child have a name?” 

“Suh Yoosun.” 

“Really.”

“She’s the same age as Lady Hyewon,” Yoosun said ‘helpfully.’

“And that’s… you, isn’t it,” Yunwoo said, scarcely believing the words coming out of her mouth. It was the logical conclusion. And yet.

_ What fucking part of this is logical? _

“She’s ten or so years ago you, isn’t she.”

“That’s right,” Yoosun replied, beaming at Yunwoo as if she were the proud parent of a child who’d just answered their tutors correctly. As if she hadn’t expected Yunwoo to be able to reach the proper conclusion without holding her hand through it. It was more than a little patronizing.

Fortunately, Yunwoo was used to being patronized and thus wholly immune. It also helped that everything that was coming out of Yoosun’s mouth was  _ completely insane. _

“My interests in… helping my younger self aren’t entirely selfish. I would like to give her a better life than that of a slave, yes, but it will be in your best interest to retrieve her as well. As long as she remains with the Suh family, Lee Sekyung and her family are in danger.” 

“And why is that?” Yunwoo asked, her voice strained. This conversation,  _ this entire situation _ was straining. She was well within her rights to be strained. 

“You noticed the resemblance I bear to the main family of the House of Suh, yes? That child was taken in by the Suh family to be Lady Hyewon’s double, in order to hide that Suh Yiryung’s only daughter and heir is a Flower Maiden. Suh Yiryung’s interest in Sekyung’s mother and her research is genuine. She truly wishes only to save the life of her daughter.”

Yoosun grimaced, gritting her teeth. 

“However, the other members of the family are more than willing to bloody their hands to maintain control over the Flower Maidens, and to ensure that the young Lady Hyewon dies an early death. That child is meant to be their pawn, their puppet head, and Hyewon’s replacement. As long as they have a hold on her, neither Hyewon or anyone working to create a cure will be safe.” 

“Or you could simply reveal that Hyewon is a Flower Maiden,” Yunwoo suggested, just because she wanted to see how Yoosun would react. 

“Or I could wring your neck right now, Ha Yunwoo,” Yoosun replied, her sunny smile back in place.

“Terrifying! Understood. I have no intention of doing that to a child, I give you my word,” Yunwoo said quickly. “Even if it  _ would  _ make all of this so much easier.”

_ Let it never be said that Ha Yunwoo lacks a sense of self-preservation. _

“What it would do is make you quite the hypocrite, to hide one child while throwing the other to the wolves, but I never had very high expectations for you,” Yoosun said brightly. 

Yunwoo raised an eyebrow. “You don’t like me very much, do you.” 

Yoosun’s smile never wavered. “I’m sure you’ll give me plenty of reasons to like you once you make yourself useful.” 

“And how do you expect me to make myself useful? You’ve given me a great deal of information-- information that will be difficult or even impossible to verify and work with.”

“Your first priority should still be the Lee family’s safety,” Yoosun said softly. “If you’ve seen the letter and the dagger from Suh Yiryung, then she has likely already told her sister of her plans to secure the antidote for Hyewon. If the Lee family is not moved quickly, then within the week Suh Hwayoung will have the family's soldiers commit a massacre, from which Lee Sekyung will barely escape with her life.” 

Yoosun stiffened, ducking her head and clenching her fist in her robes. 

“Everything else I’ve told you can be dealt with later, and eventually be verified by the child Suh Yoosun, but Sekyung’s family cannot afford to wait.” 

“Little Suh Yoosun doesn’t have to wait either, you know,” Yunwoo said thoughtfully. 

Yoosun’s head snapped up, disbelief written across her face. 

“That’s the most I’ve seen you react to anything this entire conversation. Damn, I’m not entirely heartless. Is that so hard to believe?” Yunwoo scoffed. “If we’re going to be sending two children into hiding, we might as well take care of them both at the same time. Besides, I’m sure Sekyung will be ecstatic to finally have a friend her own age.” 

_ “What.”  _

“Of course, we’ll have to talk to Nayoung and her husband first before throwing your younger self at them, but they’re good people. I can’t imagine they’ll turn away a child in need.” 

“I… I don’t know what to say,” Yoosun said weakly, dumbfounded. 

“You could start with ‘thank you so much’ or ‘I love you, Princess Yunwoo,’ or ‘wow, you’re so smart and generous, Princess Yunwoo,’” Yunwoo suggested. 

Yoosun recovered quickly, once again smiling her disturbingly bright little smile. “I think I’ll start with ‘don’t push your luck,’ and ‘perhaps today I will not be wringing your neck.’” 

“Those are both also very good options,” Yunwoo said immediately. 

“I thought so too.” 

Yunwoo hummed, rubbing her chin thoughtfully. “We should probably pretend that you’re her older sister, though. It would be confusing having two Yoosun’s, and it’s not a good idea to spread around your time travel atonement thing, either. You probably also shouldn’t keep the Suh name, not if you’re going to be running around causing them problems.” 

“That… is a fair assessment,” Yoosun reluctantly agreed. “I’m fairly used to pretending to be someone else anyway, so that won’t be a problem.” 

“You don’t have to be anyone else, though. You can still be yourself even if you have to choose another name. It’s not like anyone here is going to know the difference. You can be whoever you want. How about… Misun? And… Hyeong? That’s an uncommon enough surname.” 

“Hyeong Misun,” Yoosun echoed, rolling it around and tasting it in her mouth like fine wine. “I like it.”

“See? I am making myself useful, you’ll have to like me now,” Yunwoo grinned mischievously.  _ “Misun-unnie.”  _

_ That  _ startled a laugh out of ‘Misun.’

“How refreshing, to receive a new name and not have taken it from another for once."

  
  
  



	3. Chapter 3

Lee Sekyung watched as two figures approached her home, which was strange because usually only Yunwoo-unnie came to see them, always all by herself, and she had come just two days ago.

She'd brought an invention called a telescope with her last time, and even let Sekyung play with it while she talked to Mama about Serious Things. 

Which was why Sekyung was watching now; she didn't have a telescope, but if she got up really really high she could see almost as much all on her own.

But Sekyung was only allowed to climb trees when Mama was tending her herb garden, so she "could keep an eye on her," which was totally unfair! Sekyung was almost _ten_ , she wasn't a dumb baby who needed to be watched! 

And _worse,_ there was only so high she could climb before she got scolded, so even when she could climb, she was still being treated like a baby. Sure, she could see a lot from her maximum approved climbing height, but if she climbed higher she could see _a lot more!_

As it was, from her current vantage point she could watch Yunwoo-unnie approach and introduce her friend, then launch into talking about boring adult things together.

So while Mama was distracted talking to Yunwoo-unnie, Sekyung decided to seize the opportunity to see if she could make it to the top of the tree.

Except… Yunwoo-unnie's friend wasn't talking, not after she bowed and seemingly introduced herself. She was just... _watching,_ like Sekyung was, scanning her surroundings for something more interesting than boring adult talk, probably.

When she spotted Sekyung, she froze, going completely stiff-- and spooked Sekyung into freezing up, too! 

Rude.

_Is she going to scold me for climbing too?_

But then the lady visibly relaxed, smiling and waving politely at Sekyung. 

Did she know her? Sekyung didn't think she knew her. With her... _condition_ , and how her family had to move around a lot to hide it, Sekyung never got to meet many people.

But Mama had taught Sekyung her manners, so she hesitantly waved back. 

The weird lady grinned even more.

Maybe she did know her, then? 

Sekyung shook her head. It didn't matter! If the lady wasn't going to scold her then she wasn't going to waste this chance!

With a huff, Sekyung steeled her resolve, and slowly started her ascent towards the higher, thinner, and farther apart branches of the tree. 

She was careful, at first. Always testing each branch with a single hand or foot before putting her full weight on it, hugging close to the limbs she knew were safe to keep from losing her balance-- 

But she was _so close_ to the top now, and as she got closer, she got _bolder,_ faster, less careful until...

The branch she had just started to pull herself onto… _snapped._

A scream tore from her throat, the wind whipped in her ears, twigs caught in her hair and scratched her hands and face as more branches broke beneath her as she fell down, down, down…

Until she wasn't falling anymore, snatched from the air and pulled close against something warm and soft.

"Ow," Sekyung mumbled, purely on reflex. 

"So you've always been a handful, I see," a voice said, close to her ear.

"Oh, I'd believe that for sure," Yunwoo-unnie laughed, her voice a bit farther away.

_"Lee Sekyung!"_

Uh-oh. That was Mama's scolding voice. 

Sekyung burrowed into the lady's shoulder, hiding her face. 

"Lee Sekyung isn't here. Go away."

"She says 'Lee Sekyung isn't here. Go away,'" the lady repeated helpfully, still holding Sekyung against her shoulder. 

_"Ha_ … If she can still be so shameless to her own mother, she must be alright then," Mama sighed, and even without looking Sekyung could tell that she was smiling and shaking her head. 

"Sekyung, let go of the nice lady so I can take a look at you, and then we can thank her properly for making sure you didn't break your silly head." 

"Um," Sekyung mumbled, pulling back and wriggling in the lady's grasp. "I'm not a baby. You can put me down now." 

"As the lady commands," the stranger said, overly formal and slightly mischievous. She then gently set Sekyung back on her feet, which allowed Sekyung to get her first good look at her.

Tall, and _pretty,_ with wide dark eyes and short, straight silky black hair and…

An empty sleeve? 

"What happened to your arm?!" Sekyung exclaimed. 

"Sekyung, that's--" Mama started to scold, without even stopping her check up for bruises or broken bones and the _so_ many scratches. 

The lady _gasped,_ her eyes going wide as she stared at the space her right arm should have been, as if noticing its absence for the first time. 

"Goodness! I must have lost it in the tree."

"That's not how that works!" Sekyung shouted, stomping her foot indignantly. "There would be SO MUCH BLOOD if you had!" 

_"Sekyung,"_ Mama started again, but couldn't quite scold her properly because _she was too busy laughing at her with Yunwoo!_

"Ah, you've caught me in my lie then. Very clever of you," the lady said with a grin, utterly shameless.

"It was a bad lie! I'm not a baby! Don't treat me like one!" 

"You were right, Misun. Maybe you _should_ start adding that story to all your introductions," Yunwoo snickered. 

"It would save me some time, yes," the lady agreed. "Tell me, princess, how does it feel to have started your first conversations with me the same way as a child half your age did?"

"If I ever act my age, _unnie_ , I'm going to need you to kill me," Yunwoo said solemnly.

"That's enough of that," Mama said quickly, shooting a stern look Yunwoo's way. 

The strange lady kneeled down to be at Sekyung's eye level, staring her in the face.

"Sekyung," she said seriously, putting her hand on Sekyung's shoulder. "What really happened is that my arm fell off because I didn't eat my vegetables or listen to my mother." 

Sekyung was _not_ impressed. She wasn't a _baby,_ of course she wasn't going to fall for that!

"You're lying _again_ , unnie!" 

And even Mama _laughed at that!_

"No, I think she might be telling the truth, Sekyung,” Mama said, trying to sound serious but still sort of laughing at her. “I don't think you should risk it."

_"Mama!"_ Sekyung exclaimed, aghast. "You're an-- an apothecary! You can't just _lie_ about stuff like that! That's ineffable!" 

"Unethical," Mama corrected.

"That's unethical!" Sekyung corrected.

“But,” Mama started, and Sekyung knew that lecturing, long-suffering tone all too well. “If Miss Hyeong hadn’t been there to catch you, you very well could have broken your arm very badly, or even your neck! You very well could have lost an arm or more from not listening to your Mama.” 

“But I didn’t,” Sekyung grumbled. 

“But you could have,” Mama said sternly, spinning Sekyung around to face her, wiping the dirt off her face and tugging some of the twigs from her hair. “Now, introduce yourself properly and thank the nice lady for helping you.”

“Okay,” Sekyung mumbled, smoothing down her shirt and spinning back around again. 

She bowed sharply, yelling out in a loud voice just like she had been taught to: “My name is Lee Sekyung! Thank you for taking care of me, unnie!” And then immediately snapped her head back up again.

The lady returned the bow, still smiling like she was laughing inside about something. “Hyeong Misun. It has truly been a pleasure to meet you, Sekyung.” 

“Are you going to tell me how you _really_ lost your arm now?” Sekyung said suspiciously.

“That’s not a story for children, I’m afraid,” Misun said, kneeling down to pat Sekyung on the head.

Sekyung furiously batted her hand away. “I’m nearly ten years old! I am not a child!”

Misun’s smile never left her face, but now it looked like she didn’t believe Sekyung and was just humoring her.

_Rude._

Misun leaned in conspiratorially, putting her hand on Sekyung’s shoulder. “Then I can tell you this much: I lost this arm protecting someone very like you, with a condition very like yours. And I have never regretted what I did to lose that hand. But it would be quite difficult for me if I were to lose the other one now, yes? So do please listen to your mother so you can grow up safe and healthy and strong, and that I never have to.”

“Is that why you’re here?” Sekyung asked quietly. “Because we’re not safe?”

“If you need someone here to protect you and make you feel safe then I will gladly do so,” Misun promised. “But that’s not why Princess Yunwoo brought me here today.”

“Let me discuss that matter with my husband before you get my daughter’s hopes up, Miss Hyeong,” Mama said quickly.

“What hopes?” Sekyung said suspiciously.

“Ah ah ah, I’m afraid _I_ have to listen to your mother in this too, Sekyung,” Misun said, standing up.

“See, Sekyung? Be a good girl like Miss Hyeong and listen to your mother,” Mama teased, finding yet more twigs to pull out of Sekyung’s hair.

Sekyung frowned. “Shouldn’t Misun-unnie listen to _her_ mother instead?”

“Probably, but she’s not here so I have to defer to _your_ mother instead, Sekyung,” Misun replied.

Sekyung was fairly certain that was _not_ how it worked, and the sight of Yunwoo-unnie trying to hide her laughter definitely supported that conclusion.

Mama cleared her throat, also looking suspiciously like she was trying to hide her own laughter. “As for _you,_ Lee Sekyung, _you_ are going to have some nasty bruises tomorrow. And so many scratches _today_ that I’m going to need to cover you in so much of that salve you hate that I might as well give you a bath in it,” she said, tugging Sekyung towards the house by her sleeve.

“Noooooooooo,” Sekyung whined. “It _stings,_ Mama.” 

“And those scratches don’t?” Mama retorted.

“Not that much!” 

“Think of that next time you try to climb the trees, hmm?” Mama glanced over her shoulder. “Let me take care of this little ruffian and speak to my husband, and then we can see what Sekyung thinks of your proposal, Miss.”

“What proposal?” Sekyung demanded.

“You’ll find out after I talk with your papa about it, now won’t you?” 

The proposal would turn out to be about _Yoosun,_ and it would be the best news Yunwoo had ever brought them. 

  
  



	4. Chapter 4

"What am I going to do with you?" Min Nayoung sighed, kneeling down and pulling her daughter into a hug once they were back in the house. 

"Are you not in enough danger as it is, Sekyung? Is that it? Why must you run about so recklessly?" Nayoung asked, squeezing her tight. It was an unfair question, but Nayoung was feeling unfair right now. She hadn't watched Sekyung closely enough, and nearly lost her little girl because of it. 

"...Are we in danger?" Sekyung said quietly, clinging to her mother instead of squirming out of her arms for once. "That's why Yunwoo-unnie came back so soon, isn't it?" 

Nayoung sighed. "Such a smart, perceptive little girl you are, and yet you have so little sense." She playfully tapped the side of Sekyung's head with her knuckles, as Sekyung giggled and batted her hands away. 

"Yes, we are in danger. We are  _ always _ in danger. But that is not your fault."

Gently, Nayoung pulled back, putting her hands on Sekyung's shoulders and waiting until her daughter looked her in the eye.

"Look at me, Sekyung. This is not your fault, do you understand?" 

"But it's because I'm a Flower Maiden, isn't it?" Sekyung protested, her lip wobbling, on the verge of tears. 

"No, Sekyung. None of this is your fault. You've been very good, and very brave, more than any little girl should ever have to be. You haven’t done anything wrong. It's Mama who's put us in danger."

"What?" Sekyung sniffled. 

"Mama wasn't careful enough, Sekyung. A very dangerous lady found out about the research Mama is doing, not that you're a Flower Maiden. That's what’s put us in danger, not you. We're going to have to move again, sooner than we planned." 

"Oh." Sekyung squirmed, shifting nervously from foot to foot. "Does that mean we won't get to go see the acrobats at the market like you promised?"

“No, I’m afraid not. I’m sorry to have to break another promise to you. But,” Nayoung paused, ruffling Sekyung’s hair. “Maybe once we get you cleaned up, you could ask Miss Hyeong to teach you some while Mama talks with Princess Yunwoo?” 

Sekyung brightened immediately, her entire face lighting up as she bounced in place. “Do you think she would? Do you think she knows a lot?” 

Nayoung caught her daughter by the collar before she could bounce back out the door. “ _ Lee Sekyung.  _ Wash up first. I don’t want any of those scratches getting infected.”

“...with the slimy salve?” Sekyung said suspiciously, going slack in her mother’s grip.

“That can wait until after you’ve had a proper bath,” Nayoung conceded, finding yet more twigs caught in Sekyung’s braid and combing them free with her fingers. “Just scrub the dirt away with water for now.”

“And then I can go?” 

“Yes, and then you can go,” Nayoung agreed, letting go of Sekyung’s collar and sighing ruefully as Sekyung immediately bolted to the washbasin, then scrubbed her hands and face so fiercely her skin turned pink. 

“Thanks-Mama-bye!” Sekyung shouted, already halfway out the door. 

Nayoung smiled in spite of herself, watching from the door as Sekyung darted up to their visitors, babbling and bouncing away.

It seemed Miss Hyeong would be humoring her, because after a moment's consideration, she dropped to the ground and did a handstand with the only hand she had while Sekyung watched and clapped.

When Sekyung began trying to imitate her, Miss Hyeong correcting her form and holding her up by her ankle, Nayoung decided her daughter would be distracted and taken care of well enough for the time being. 

"I'd like to continue our conversation, my lady," she called from the door, getting Yunwoo's attention. "I'm going to need to know more before I can seriously consider your proposals."

"I thought you might," Yunwoo said, grinning lazily and waving to Misun and Sekyung as she followed Nayoung inside.

They took seats across the table, Yunwoo watching her with that mildly amused, calculating look she always seemed to wear. 

Nayoung sighed, steeling herself for the business ahead. "I made sure Sekyung understands that we'll need to move again. I hate to break another promise to my daughter, but you've made the dangers quite clear. The fault lies with me. I will be more careful in the future, and my family will be ready to move to the next safehouse whenever it's ready." 

"That's good to hear," Yunwoo said casually. "I imagine most of your questions then are about Hyeong Yoosun?" 

"Yes, that is where most of my concerns lie. From what you've told me, you'll be snatching a child from the only home she knows, only to send her off to strangers. Even if the circumstances are as dire as you say… you're asking me to not only condone but aid you in a kidnapping." 

"From the most powerful family in the kingdom, no less," Yunwoo said, grinning like the fool she so often pretended to be. 

"Yes, the very same family that is gathering soldiers to kill me as we speak," Nayoung agreed frostily. "Is this some cruel political ploy you thought to involve me in, or do you truly have that child's best interests at heart?"

Yunwoo's eyes flashed, and she finally dropped her carefree facade. "I can't personally attest to the child's treatment or how happy she is there; obviously I have never met Yoosun myself. I can only share what details Misun has given me."

"Then share them."

"Hyeong Yoosun is thirteen years old, and has been living in isolation in one of the Suh family's safe houses for the past six months." 

"And how did Miss Hyeong come by this information?" 

"Once she entered my employ, Hyeong Misun took the opportunity to track down the sister she was sold away from in her free time. She tracked Yoosun to that same market, and from there found that she had been purchased and adopted by Suh Hwayoung." 

"If the child has been adopted by such a prestigious family, she hardly needs to put in my care," Nayoung noted. 

"Suh Hwayoung did not adopt that child out of the goodness of her heart," Yunwoo said coldly. "In Misun's words, 'that woman locks her away like a prisoner and beats her like a dog.'" 

"And you're sure of this? I trust you, Princess, of course I do. But taking a child from her home, no matter how they have mistreated her, to put her in my care… That seems cruel, to take her from that only to put her in the same danger as my family."

"I'm as sure as I can be of any of my sources, ma'am. Misun began gathering information on the Suh family in the hopes of ransoming Yoosun from them. In the process, she found the details of the attack planned on your village, and… the  _ purpose _ Suh Hwayoung purchased Yoosun for." 

And then Min Nayoung  _ seethed,  _ clenched white knuckled fists with her nails digging into her palms until they bled, as Princess Yunwoo relayed the details of the  _ purpose _ Yoosun was meant to serve for the Suh family.

"So Suh Yiryung also has a child who is a Flower Maiden," Nayoung snapped. 

She had thought she recognized something in that woman when she had received that damned letter from her. She had thought she had known that underlying fear and desperation and wretched, wretched hope all too well. 

Nayoung had never been so  _ angry _ to be right.

"So that woman, who has the power to  _ do something _ about all this, whose wicked, wicked family would cut me down and take my own daughter from me simply because of the circumstances of her birth, refuses to allow her own flesh and blood to meet the same fate," Nayoung continued, hot, angry tears burning in her eyes as she tried and failed to tamp down the rage flaring within her. 

"No, to spare  _ her own  _ daughter that same fate, she approaches me, has the gall to  _ put my own family in danger _ in the process, all the while torturing another innocent child into very nearly the same tragic fate in her daughter's place," Nayoung spat. 

"It's all very wicked and hypocritical of them, isn't it?" Yunwoo mused, utterly unsurprised at Nayoung's outburst. 

"That is the  _ least  _ of it. Damn her, damn all of them, and damn  _ you _ , Princess," Nayoung snapped, wiping away her tears. "You sly little fox. You knew I would never be able to turn you down, not after that story." 

"I had a feeling you might, yes," Yunwoo replied cheerfully.

"Damn you," Nayoung repeated. "I'll let Sekyung and her father know when to expect the latest addition to our family. That child will be protected and  _ loved _ as she should have been from her birth, damn it all-- out of sheer spite if nothing else." 

Min Nayoung was very well aware that she was being manipulated, but on that day a week later, after her small family had settled into their new home, when she saw  _ (and heard)  _ her daughter  _ (loudly) _ welcome Hyeong Yoosun with open arms, she could not bring herself to regret it.

"Hello, Yoosun," Nayoung herself had greeted her, crouching slightly to be at the girl's level, after her daughter and Yoosun had both calmed down from Sekyung's outbursts. 

"My name is Nayoung. I'm Sekyung's mother. I'll be taking care of you when your sister isn't able to. We're all very happy to welcome you to our family." 

"Hello Miss Nayoung," Yoosun had said shyly, still looking back and forth to her sister for guidance. 

"I hope you will be very happy here, as well," Nayoung had said, ruffling Yoosun's hair in what she hoped was a reassuring gesture. 

And as that small, scared, timid creature of a little girl awkwardly,  _ disbelievingly _ nodded back at her, Nayoung knew she was already a lost cause, ready to do everything in her power to do right by the child before her. 

  
  
  



End file.
